1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to tubular sleeves for protecting elongate members, and more particularly to tubular convoluted sleeves having insulative and reflective properties.
2. Related Art
Tubular sleeves are known for use to protect and provide a barrier to heat from reaching elongate members, e.g. wire harnesses, sensors, and the like, contained within the sleeves, or to prevent heat from radiating outward from a heat source, e.g. pipes. By shielding the elongate members from heat, such as from heat radiating from a nearby heat source, the elongate members are protected against damage from the radiant heat. Likewise, by preventing heat from radiating outwardly from a heat source, nearby components are protected against damage from the radiant heat. Although known sleeves can prove effective in providing the desired protection against thermal effects, they are typically costly in manufacture, and further, they typically have a relatively rigid, incompressible, inflexible wall, thereby providing the sleeve with a limited ability to be both radially compressed and routed over meandering paths without damaging the wall.
A sleeve manufactured in accordance with the invention overcomes or greatly minimizes the tendency of a thermally insulative, reflective textile sleeve from becoming damaged, such as from being bent, crushed or subjected to abrasive elements.